Natural Facial Contouring Surgery Without Artificiality — How to Choose the Right Plastic Surgery Clinic?
Author: Dr. Lee Won (Plastic Surgeon Specialist: CEO of 21plastic surgery)
This content has been prepared in compliance with applicable laws including the Medical Service Act.
Core Summary of This Article:
▪ "Natural contouring" does not come from how much bone is shaved, but from a surgical plan with integrated design of bone, soft tissue, and skin sagging.
▪ The malar region, square jaw, and anterior chin each operate on different principles, and considering the balance of all three areas simultaneously reduces the artificial appearance.
▪ Self-checking your face shape type, skin elasticity, and the realism of your expectations before surgery is the first step toward satisfying results.
Artificial Contouring vs Natural Contouring — The Core Difference That Determines Results
One of the biggest concerns people have when considering facial contouring surgery is the fear of "What if the surgery is too obvious?" To answer directly: "natural contouring" is not a matter of how much bone is shaved. Natural results only emerge from a surgical plan with integrated design of bone resection volume, soft tissue, and skin sagging.
According to expert commentary cited in a medical specialty publication (Medical Today), "precise diagnosis through 3D-CT analysis of each patient's bone structure and nerve location is essential to expect natural results." In facial contouring surgery, which must consider both facial harmony and function, uniform resection that ignores individual bone structure differences can actually create an artificial appearance.
The important point is that not all face shapes produce identical surgical results. Surgical design must vary according to individual differences in bone structure, soft tissue thickness, and skin elasticity, and a customized approach that sufficiently reflects these factors leads to natural and harmonious results.
Mini Q&A
Q. Is it true that "the more you shave, the smaller it becomes"?
A. Not necessarily. Excessive resection increases the risk of secondary angles or cheek sagging complications. Setting an appropriate surgical range that matches your face shape and soft tissue condition is far more important.
The Mechanics of Facial Contouring 3 Parts — How the Malar Region, Square Jaw, and Anterior Chin Change Facial Impression
Malar reduction, square jaw resection, and anterior chin advancement (or reduction) each have different operating principles. The reason why an "artificial appearance" diminishes when the balance of all three areas is considered simultaneously lies precisely here.
| Surgical Area | Primary Mechanism of Action | Precautions |
|---|---|---|
| Malar Reduction | Bone is cut in an L-shape and rotated/moved posterosuperiorly in 3D to reduce lateral width | Risk of cheek sagging and cheek hollowing if soft tissue fixation is insufficient |
| Square Jaw Resection | Mandibular angle area is resected to reduce lateral and anterior facial width | Secondary angle and open bite may occur if postauricular angle is over-resected |
| Anterior Chin Advancement/Reduction | Chin tip position is adjusted anteroposteriorly and superoinferiorly to improve lateral facial line | Advancement vs reduction direction varies depending on facial length |
According to a medical specialty publication report (Legal Times News), cheek sagging occurs when the supporting ligaments that support the skin tissue layer stretch after ligaments are separated and bone is resected, with overcorrection being a typical cause. Additionally, a report in Health Trends points out that in cases of low skin elasticity or excessive soft tissue, aggressive over-resection can cause skin sagging.
Face shapes that are long and those that are short and square require different ranges of square jaw resection applied from the start, and uniform surgical approach applying identical standards to all three areas can actually produce unnatural results. Related clinical data also recommends designing the ideal facial contouring line by analyzing soft tissue through 3D-CT.
21plastic surgery's 'Sagging-Free Contouring 3 Parts' Approach
21plastic surgery designs malar reduction, square jaw long-curve, and anterior chin advancement as one harmonious line based on total facial plastic surgery consultation, and reflects experience from working with patients of various face shapes from Korea and abroad in clinical practice.
According to related clinical data, more important than the amount of bone resected is customized surgery suited to facial features and individual circumstances, and sagging can be prevented when surrounding tissue is not unnecessarily touched and tissue remains in place through precise operative technique. 21plastic surgery's 'Sagging-Free Contouring 3 Parts' approach reflects these principles in surgical design.
The surgical approach steps can be summarized as follows:
▪ Stage 1 — Total Facial Plastic Surgery Consultation: First understand overall facial feature harmony rather than single-area correction
▪ Stage 2 — 3D-CT Based Precise Diagnosis: Analyze bone structure, nerve location, and soft tissue volume individually
▪ Stage 3 — Customized Surgical Range Design: Combine malar reduction (L-shaped osteotomy), square jaw long-curve, and anterior chin advancement tailored to face shape
▪ Stage 4 — Soft Tissue Preservation and Reinforcement Operative Technique: Perform without over-resection, maximizing preservation of supporting ligaments and surrounding tissue, and reinforce with deep cheek redistribution when needed
▪ Stage 5 — Recovery Period Progress Management: Monitor line changes at different stages of swelling
Experience with various face shape cases including foreign patients from Japan, China, Thailand, and North America is reflected in clinical practice, but a process of confirming appropriate surgical range through individual pre-surgery consultation is always conducted first.
Essential Things to Confirm Before Procedure
If you check certain items you can self-assess before deciding on surgery, consultation will be much more effective.
▪ Identify Your Face Shape Type: Depending on whether your face is long or short and square-shaped, the surgical design direction differs. According to Health Trends reporting, if the face is long, overcorrection of the square jaw increases the risk of skin sagging, making individual face shape analysis essential.
▪ Check Skin Elasticity: When skin elasticity is low, the surgical range and soft tissue handling method must differ.
▪ Verify Realism of Expected Results: Setting "a line that suits me" as your goal rather than "shave as much as possible for more beauty" is advantageous for long-term satisfaction.
▪ Confirm Operating Surgeon and Diagnostic Procedure: Verify that precise 3D-CT diagnosis and sufficient specialist consultation precede the procedure.
▪ Recognize Possibility of Complications: According to clinical data, cosmetic surgery carries possible risks of inflammation, bleeding, and nerve damage depending on the individual, and it is important to proceed with consultation with sufficient awareness of these.
Procedure suitability is determined after consultation.
Not only people in the Gangnam Sinnonhyeon area considering facial contouring, but also nearby residents exploring Seocho facial contouring, Yeoksam contouring plastic surgery, and Sinnonhyeon facial bone surgery can visit and receive consultation.
If You Want a Harmonious Facial Line — We Consult Step by Step from the Beginning
At 21plastic surgery, whether you're considering facial contouring for the first time or contemplating revision surgery, we provide step-by-step consultation from the beginning from a total facial plastic surgery consultation perspective.
As emphasized in related clinical data, customized surgery suited to facial features and individual circumstances rather than bone resection volume leads to results with higher satisfaction. By setting "a natural line that suits me" as your goal rather than "a smaller face," you can expect results that remain stable over time.
Located between Sinnonhyeon Station and Gangnam Station, 21plastic surgery recommends first identifying an individually appropriate surgical range through precise 3D-CT-based diagnosis and total facial plastic surgery consultation. Initial consultation even at the stage before deciding whether to proceed with surgery is always welcome.
You're Probably Wondering About These Things
Q1. Why do facial contouring surgery results sometimes look artificial?
The most common cause is over-resection. If the square jaw is shaved too much, secondary angles or open bite may occur, and if soft tissue fixation is insufficient after malar surgery, cheek sagging can appear. If the balance of all three areas is not designed with integrated planning, an artificial impression becomes stronger, making the surgical planning stage very important.
Q2. Is 3D-CT imaging absolutely necessary?
3D-CT in facial contouring surgery is not simply a reference material. Precise understanding of individual bone thickness, nerve location, and soft tissue distribution is necessary to safely design surgical range and resection volume. Surgery conducted without diagnosis and based only on experience can lead to unexpected results, so pre-surgery 3D-CT imaging is recommended.
Q3. Which combination of malar region, square jaw, and anterior chin would be right for my face?
It depends on face shape. For a long face shape, anterior chin advancement may be more effective than square jaw resection, and for a short and wide face shape, considering both malar region and square jaw together may be advantageous. Which combination is appropriate must be determined individually through 3D-CT analysis and specialist consultation.
Q4. How long does it take for swelling to completely resolve after contouring surgery?
Notable major swelling typically subsides considerably within 1-2 months. However, the point at which residual swelling completely resolves and the final line can be confirmed may take 3 months to up to 1 year. Sufficient understanding of the recovery period is necessary to avoid judging the line immediately after surgery as the final result.
Procedure suitability is determined after consultation